The Edward Stierle Contemporary Showcase, an event that is new to the Jackson IBC in 2006, was created to feature those dancers who were eliminated from competition following Round I who had prepared contemporary solos and duets for presentation in Rounds II and III and who would otherwise have no opportunity to present their contemporary work at the IBC. The event was held at the Belhaven Center for the Arts at Belhaven College on Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. Here is the program:

It drives me absolutely crazy that the Southern salutation of “Hey!” has recently migrated its way as far north as the moist climes of Seattle and the greater Northwest. I cannot stand hearing it, but have to endure it, as it’s on practically everyone’s lips. Too bad. But at its root home, it feels like a genuinely warm and friendly greeting and becomes music to the ears – with its Southern and musical diphthong emphasis on the “e” sound...

Being at the IBC as “credentialed media” to cover Round I of the three rounds, was a heady and marvelous “hey!” experience. An experience I hope all you darlin’ “hushpuppies” out there get to enjoy someday.

Held once every four years, the IBC is the only ballet competition of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. This time it attracted 98 competitors from 23 different countries. 121 were selected to compete, but some were unable to make it or had to drop out. The representatives from China, for example, could not go, allegedly due to finances. The “Olympics” of the ballet, competitors enter for recognition, to see and be seen amongst their peers, and to learn from each other. Additional benefits include coaching, taking classes every day from master teachers, and being exposed to alternate dance such as performances given this year by Ballet Hispanico and Garth Fagen’s company. There is also a school for students and a workshop for teachers.

It costs the IBC about $3 million to put on, which includes a small staff and a platoon of volunteers and supporters. Venues include the Thalia Mara Hall, the namesake heart of the IBC, after the famed Mara who was the IBC Founding Artistic Director where most of the performances take place. Others are Millsaps College, the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, and the “Olympic Village” of the IBC, Belhaven College where most of the competitors live, eat, and take daily class. Belhaven College recently completed a lovely new building that’s exclusively for dance which includes some very nice studios that overlook Belhaven’s Elysian fields and fountains.

Highlights of the IBC for me included not only seeing some “Wow!” dancing but also applauding and admiring the fortitude, drive, talent, and hard work of every competitor. To the dancers who slipped or made small mistakes – hurray to each of you for getting up and carrying on. Bravo to everyone who entered. You showed courage and a larger commitment to your art. Thank you! And congratulations to each medal and scholarship winner.

Other highlights for me included being reunited with two former colleagues from Chattanooga Ballet, whom I had not seen in about 17 years. It was a thrill to see them again and to catch up. These former dancers are now teachers themselves and at the IBC for the Teachers’ Workshop with Finis Jhung and we ran into each other at a luncheon on tutu construction. The presentation by tutu.com on yes, tutus, was delightful. I was enchanted to see two that had been worn by Margot Fonteyn and were being modeled by young ballet students. We all remarked on how petite Fonteyn must have been.

Memorable also were the interviews we conducted. Our goal was to get the IBC perspective from different angles and so we targeted talking with one juror, a competitor, and one of the teachers. We ended up being so fortunate to visit with juror Nina Novak, Davit Karpetyan and his “non-competing partner” Vanessa Zahorian, and master teacher Finis Jhung.

It was also great fun to actually meet, face-to-face, one of our previous interviewees – Cynthia Harvey. What a nice and outgoing person! I observed her being friendly and welcoming to everyone, which says a lot about her character. It was certainly exhilarating to meet her and the other official Master of Ceremonies, John Meehan.

And on our last day in town, we had the fun of getting together with one of my former ballet teachers – Gwenn Barker (who had been in the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo with Novak) – and a mutual colleague of ours over breakfast to catch them up on how Round I went and give them the blow-by-blow. Barker had encouraged us to attend, offering us her Round I tickets which she was unable to use. I’m so grateful she nudged us in Jackson’s direction!

Entrée – Some take-home memories:

Circling the wagons and getting to know Jackson. Toured some historic houses -- very impressive. Popped into the restored Union Station. It's clear many parts of Jackson need some loving help, including the amazing Hotel King Edward. Too many acres of parking lots where there used to be buildings.

Over lunch, running into Cynthia Harvey (former ABT and Hostess of Ceremonies); Viktor Kabaniaev (former Kirov Ballet and now with the Diablo Ballet) who is here as a coach; and was introduced to Johannes Ohman, Artistic Director of Stockholm's 59 ° N which uses soloists of the Royal Swedish Ballet. Everyone seems to be delighted to be here and the word on the street -- at least the word in a dining room -- is that the level of competitors is VERY high.

We also virtually ran into USA IBC founder Thalia Mara just about everywhere we went – at least her spirit and the fond memories of those that knew her, including members of her church’s congregation who heaped high praises, citing her quick wit, great sense of humor, and energetic commitment to ballet.

The Parade of Nations during the Gala Opening, where each of the flags from the various competitors' countries were brought in by the competitors. While the pit orchestra played the Olympics’ theme-song, all the dancers made their way through the house with the flags and up onto the stage to take their respective places behind the jury. Then the 2002 Gold Medal Winner, Joseph Phillips (USA), brought the "Olympic" torch up, passed it to Bruce Marks, who lit the IBC flame. Great stuff -- truly moving, thrilling, and very theatrical.

Tina Ramirez' Ballet Hispanico book ended the dance portion of the show. Ann Reinking's 1997 addition of "Ritmo y Ruido" certainly added much pizazz and flashing energy to the show. It's a good piece that uses and builds on her considerable jazz/ballet and show-business experience.

Next up were past winners, first with Joseph Phillips doing a solo from Ashton's "Sylvia," followed by the male solo from Act III of "Swan Lake" performed by Rolando Sarabia. Then the complete "Le Corsaire" brightly danced by Adrienne Canterna and Danny Tidwell. Concluding the first half was Mr. Phillips in a solo "La Bayadere."

After Interval, they got to show their modern side with Sarabia in "Cross the Line," Canterna in a 'fusion' solo that was quite good -- "Hallelujah" and finishing with the very impressive Tidwell's "Power of the Gospel" which really allowed him to meld his technical strength with solid acting and feeling. (Did they all agree in advance that they were going to do something religious?) The show concluded with "Club Havana,” Ballet Hispanico's steamy essay, given on a steamy, Southern night.

Adagio – Some of my winners and impressions from Round One, Session One:

A clear gold medal winning performance was given by Japan's Yui Yonezawa with 'non-competing' partner Georgi Smilevksi in the complete Grand Pas de Deux from "Don Quixote." They had *everything* worked out -- from every pose and step to every glance and transition. Fabulous balances. And a good reading of the characterization of the intent of the ballet.

Not all steps fit all bodies, like not all vocal parts fit all voices. One unfortunate choice by whoever picked the first solo for Anna Nikulina [(Russia) -- Senior, Bolshoi (Coach: Ekaterina Maksimova); Swan Lake, Act III variation; Don Quixote variation], did not choose well for her. Her long and lanky body didn't look good in the Swan Lake variation (it's one of the alternate versions). So I have to fuss at either Maksimova or Nikulina's teachers or whomever, for allowing her to go forward with something that did not show her off. (Her Don Q variation, on the other hand, DID show her off very well indeed. It's all a matter of choices. )

Yu-hee Son [(South Korea) -- Senior, Universal (Coach: Eun Hee Rhee); Esmeralda variation; Swan Lake, Act III variation] who lost her concentration during her first, Esmeralda, variation, looked great during same solo from Swan Lake. Son has a more compact body type that was better suited for this lesser-performed Odile variation. Again, choices.

Overall, the level of the men is truly impressive and exciting. All of the Japanese competitors have excellent ballon and elevation and dance with a soft, feline quality. The Cubans tend to have fabulous bravura. Each man has superb turns, double tours, and double assembles.

Variation – On observing one of the competitors’ daily technique class, held at Belhaven College, in one of their new studios:

Christopher Fleming (accompanied by Steven Mitchell) gave a fabulous, energetic and quick-moving class. While perhaps not entirely accurate, I'd classify it under the Balanchine-influenced category. Lots of tendus, building to, as Mr. Fleming himself said, those "...at the speed of light." Quite a bit of time devoted to center work, beginning right away with a turning combination (rélevé into attitude, tombé pas de boureé to fourth, pirouettes in attitude, pas de boureé en tournant, repeat).

It was interesting to observe the cultural differences amongst the dancers. Some readily embraced all the combinations, a few were lost, some tried what was new to them, while others did what was familiar or what they needed to do.

Some great big jump combinations. Allowed time for fouettés -- only 16! -- for the women and tours in second for the men. Concluded with entrechat quatre (4) relevé to sous-sus and entrechat six for the women and tours on l'air for the men.

Coda:

And the camaraderie of audience members, built by this shared experience, was nothing short of military boot camp – you come out feeling like buddies. My seat-mates – side, forward, and back – really got into it, including trading stories, enjoying jaw-dropping performances together, and engaging in good-natured ballet-trivia contests.

In touring and learning more about Jackson and the area, I was utterly charmed by the Eudora Welty house. In fact, so much so that I’ve gone out and purchased a couple of her books. Welty is probably Jackson’s most well-known homegrown gal; a Southern writer and a true dame. She describes honing her skills of observation – astute listening and watching.

Like Welty, I was all eyes and ears during my all too-brief and exciting stay in this once-every-four-years eye of the balletic storm, the USA International Ballet Competition. We very look forward to perhaps alighting in Jackson again four years from now and greeting old and new friends alike with a hearty “Hey!”

I'm still thinking about Natalia Domracheva not getting a medal, but I've had a little sleep now. After the first two rounds most of us thought she would get the Gold. She danced well and threw in a few flashy things here and there to wow the crowd.

But I don't want to sound like I am dismissing Misa Kuranaga. She was solid throughtout the competition and she blew the crowd away with her Esmeralda Pas de Deux Thursday night in Round 3 Session 3. I believe all her fouettes were doubles. The crowd clapped and cheared through most of her solo and coda. This must be worth more than the money to do so well especially in front of an audience of people that really know how hard this stuff is.

It is still hard for us to accept that Domracheva didn't get any medal. But she is still a winner.

Changing subjects - the choreography award was for Ben Iida's Pas de Deux "September" performed in Round 2 Session 1. This was a very traditional modern ballet with many classical movements. There were some "rag doll" like sequences where he sor of collapsed into her arms and vice-versa. At the end he sort of fliped her over his sholder - sort of threw her across the stage. Sorry I find it difficult to describe. There were some other pieces that I thought were more interesting, but I guess the judges like traditional. (I previously described this incorrectly as the dance that included a string stretched across the stage - looks like cannot decipher my own notes.)

Last edited by ejmc on Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:46 am, edited 2 times in total.

I think it's important to remember that competitions don't necessarily measure the complete artist, and there's a difference in having what it takes to succeed in a competition and what it takes to succeed in a company.

There are many star dancers who have never set foot in a competition, and many dancers who have won top competition awards who have not ended up with stellar professional careers. You just have to look at Davit Karapetyan and Randy Herrera and Daniel Sarabia in this competition - dancers who have contracts with top companies (SFB and Houston and Boston - Karapetyan a principal dancer), and did not medal in Jackson. And the many prize winners in Jackson and elswhere who have not gotten contracts with more prestigious companies. And note the fact that the two MCB contracts offered at Jackson were not award winners, I believe.

Perhaps part of the issue is that competitions focus very much on individual dancing/solos, but most companies are looking to hire corps members. And to dance in a corps takes a certain humility and ability to blend which is opposite to the stand-out quality that often wins competition awards.

That said, I think there is an important place for well run competitions like Jackson, the Prix de Lausanne and the NY IBC, which assist contract-age and young professional dancers in coming to the attention of ballet companies, and provide the dancers with a learning experience. Also, competition can be beneficial as long as compeititors and teachers maintain a balance in training and that preparation does not come at the expense of other classroom training.

But I am worried about the proliferation of competitions that seem to cater to younger and younger dancers - which Jackson very wisely does not. At the recent Youth America Grand Prix, there were dancers as young as 10 travelling from Japan and South America, and girls way too young doing solos en pointe. Should not young dancers be spending their time learning technqiue, not stressing their bodies and bank accounts on competitions.

Regards
Kate

P.S. I've recently wondered whether the 'hey!' greeting in the south is, at least in part, a legacy of the Scandinavian immigrants who settled there in the 19th and early 20th centuries. For in Denmark (and I think also Sweden and perhaps Norway), Hej! is hello and Hej Hej, goodbye.

I thought this was one of the least interesting awards performances I have been to at this USA IBC (I have been to all of them). The judges select a performance for each medal winner to perform before they hand out all the medals. There was no Don Q Pas de Deux which is unprecedented. Kayo Sasabe and Wilfried Jacobs did their delightful "On the Edge" by Wilfried. Brooklyn Mack did Esmeralda. Daniil Simkin did the Don Q solo. Misa Kuranaga and Daniel Sarabia closed the show with Swan Lak Act III Pas de Deux. We expected them to do their Esmeralda which brought the house down last Thursday night.

Yui Yonezawa and George Smilevski did "September" which won the choreography award. I have corrected my previous posting about this piece since my descrtiption was incorrect. I've go to get better at wrtting fast in the dark.

I talked to Daniil Simkin afterwards and he confirmed he is going to Vienna. He will still be close enough to visit his family from there he said.

This was a good competition. The senior men were particularly strong this year and I thought there was more interesting contemporary choreography than any previous competition here.

I feel bad for not taking time to say something nice about everyone who danced. Even the dancers who didn't get medals here have lots to offer to dance compaines across the counrty and world. I am not qualified to call anyone weaker than another. I enjoyed watching every dancer who performed on the stage over the last two weeks - there is no one I would omit if I was to do it all over again.

Now is time for the long drive home and back to my normal job - after a few hours sleep.

Last edited by ejmc on Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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